Combination knife &amp; shear

ABSTRACT

The implement basically comprises a pair of blade members that may be interlocked in a first position to form a knife, and that may alternatively be joined by a pivot pin to form a scissors or shear.

United States Patent Granson Sept. 17, 1974 [5 COMBINATION KNIFE & SHEAR 1,298,166 5/1919 Borszcz 30/146 1,303,277 5 l9l9 01 k 30146 [76] Inventor: Peter crimson 72 Ashford 1,771.031 7i1930 30i146 Allston, Mass. 02139 Filedl P 3, 1973 Primary ExaminerAl Lawrence Smith [21] APPL No; 347,368 Assistant Examiner-J. C. Peters [52] US. Cl. 30/146 [57] ABSTRACT 51 I t. Cl 2 of Search 5 2; The implement basically comprises a pair of blade members that may be interlocked in a first position to [56] References Cited form a knife, and that may alternatively be joined by a UNITED STATES PATENTS pivot pin to form a scissors or shear.

Flack 30/146 X 11 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PAIENIED SEPI nan FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates in general to a combination knife and shear or scissors. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with a combination knife and shear constructed of two blade members interlocke'd in a knife position and that may be reversibly joined in a scissors or shear position OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved combination knife and shear. This improved structure is basically provided by constructing the implement of two members that are releasably joined in either of two positions, one of said members being reversible relative to the other to change from one position to the other.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination knife and shear wherein the two members comprising the implement may be securely interlocked when in the knife position to form a conventional-looking knife, and that yet can be readily disengaged with one of said members being reversed and readily rejoined to form a somewhat conventional-looking shear.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To accomplish the foregoing and other objects of this invention there is provided a combination knife and shear or scissors which comprises a pair of elongated members with each member having a handle and a blade portion. Each of the blade portions have an elongated shearing edge and means are also provided for releasably interengaging the members in a mutually cooperating relation about a common axis intermediate the ends of each member. In this position, the shearing edges are adapted to rotate toward and away from each other to provide a shearing or scissors action. The members may be disengaged from this position with one of said members being reversed or turned about and both said members are provided with means for interlocking the members with the shearing edges in spaced and parallel relation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Numerous other objects, features and advantages of the invention will now become apparent upon reading of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the implement of this invention;

FIG. 2 may be termed a front view of the implement of FIG. 1 as viewed looking at the blade portion of the implement;

FIG. 3 may be termed a rear view of the implement shown in FIG. 1 and as viewed from the handle portion of the implement;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 shows a slightly different embodiment of the implement of this invention in the scissors or shear position;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to that shown in FIG. 3 for the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 6 and when in the knife position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, there is shown one embodiment of the implement of this invention. The implement is shown in its knife position and generally comprises members 10 and 12. Referring also to FIGS. 2 and 3, the member 10 includes a blade portion 14 and a handle portion 20. Similarly, member 12 includes cutting portion 18 and handle portion 16.

The blade portion 14, as also indicated in the crosssectional view of FIG. 4 has a bottom cutting edge 22. The cutting portion 18 also has along a majority of its length a slanted wall 19 defining a cutting edge 21. In the position shown in FIG. 1 the two members 10 and 12 are interlocked along line 24. Portion 14 is provided with an elongated channel 26 which mates with a'similarly shaped ridge 28. The interlocking arrangement is shown most clearly in FIGS. 3 and 4. The portions 14 and 18 are interlocked by holding the portion 14 and inserting the ridge 28 within the channel 26. The left end, as reviewed in FIG. I of ridge 28 is inserted in the right end of channel 26 and the cutting portion 18 is slid to the left to cause the portions 14 and 18 to interlock in the position shown in FIG. 1. v

It is noted in FIG. 3 that the handle portion 20 includes a lower end 29 that is notched at 30 so that the blade member 10 can pass adjacent to its counterpart member 12.

The handle portion 16 includes a finger-grip 32 and the handle portion 20 similarly includes a finger-grip 34. It is noted that the handle portion 16 is wider than portion 20 so that the assembled implement assumes a more balanced structure. Each of the handle portions includes a protruding flange 36 having an aperture 37 therethrough. A pin or wingnut not shown in FIG. I may be inserted in aperture 37 for adjoining together the right hand end of the handles as viewed in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows a pin 38 which may be any suitable interconnecting piece. Also, because of the width of handle portion 16, the head of pin 38 is not protruding out from the handle portion.

FIG. 5 which is a cross-sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 1 shows the handle portions 16 and 20. FIG. 5 also shows the finger-holders 32 and 34. The pin 38 is shown interconnecting between portions 16 and 20. Due to the width of handle 16, as previously indicated there is provided an open area 40 for accomodating the end of a pin, for example.

Referring now to FIG. 6, the same reference characters will be used in FIGS. 1-5 where appropriate. This embodiment of the invention is quite similar to that shown in FIG. 1 with one modification which is dis-' cussed hereinafter. Also, in the view of FIG. 6 the implement is shown in its scissors or shear position rather than the knife position shown in FIG. I. In order to change from the knife to the shear position the members 10 and 12 are slid relative to each other to disengage the two members. One of, the members is then turned over and the two members are joined by a pin 42. In practice the pin 38 shown in FIG. 2 could be used as the pin 42 in FIG. 6.

In FIG. 6 there is shown members 10 and 12 which each include respective blade portions 14 and 18 and respective handle portions 20 and 16. The handle portions 16 and 20 are identical to their counter parts shown in FIG. 1. Of course, in FIG. 6 the pin 38 has not been inserted through apertures 37 as it is desired that the two members are pivotal about pin 42 to provide the scissors action.

One blade of the scissors is provided by cutting edge 21 (see FIG. 1) in the embodiment of FIG. 1 the other cutting edge would be straight as indicated by the line 24 in FIG. 2. However, in the embodiment of FIG. 6 there is a second cutting edge 23 provided by constructing an interlocking arrangement that is at an angle or taper as most clearly shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

Regarding the blade or cutting portion 18 reference is made to the cross-sectional view of FIG. 7 which is taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6. FIG. 7 in particular shows the cross-section of cutting portion 18. At one end there is a tapered wall 19 defining cutting edge 21. At the other end there is a taper interlock means including tapered wall 44 and extending elongated ridge 46.

When in the knife position this ridge 46 interlocks with channel 48 which is defined in a like tapered wall 50 of blade portion 14. It is this tapered wall 50 that defines the second cutting edge 23 of portion 14 which is particularly advantageous when in the scissors position. This second cutting edge provides improved scissors action.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to that shown in FIG. 3 for clearly indicating the improved taper interlock when the device of FIG. 6 is in the knife position. FIG. 8 shows the handles 16 and 20 and blade portion 14. The portion 14 is provided with an enlarged section with a tapered wall 50. This wall 50 extends down along the entire length of portion 14 and has defined an edge 47 as represented by the dotted line in FIG. 6. The other mating interlock is shown in FIG. 7 as ridge 46 which interlocks with channel 48 when the portions 10 and 12 are inserted in their knife position.

There has been disclosed herein a limited number of embodiments of the present invention. It should now be apparent that modifications can be made in these embodiments. For example, the interlock arrangement shown in FIG. 4 including the ridge 28 does not have to be continuous but can be composed of a series of short segments of ridges. Similarly, the channel 26 could be provided in only short spaced segments. By properly orienting these spaced interlocking members the two members 10 and 12 can be interlocked by simply providing a staggered arrangement for the ridge segments and channel segments, permitting these segments to cooperatively mate, by sliding the portions a slight distance relative to each other to cause a final joining of the pieces. In another embodiment continuous or segmented interlock can be provided and it is not necessary to provide a sliding of one piece next to the other as these two members would be constructed so that they can be snapped together.

All embodiments of this invention and modifications thereof which are contemplated as falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention should be limited solely by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a knife and scissors comprising:

a pair of elongated members with each having a handle and a blade portion, each of said blade portions having an elongated shearing edge, and means for releasably interengaging said members in a mutually cooperating relation in a first position about a common articulating axis intermediate the ends of each member with said shearing edges generally facing in opposite directions and adapted to rotate toward and away from each other in a scissors action, each said members including means for interlocking said members in fixed relative relationship with one of said members being changed in position to a second position relative to the other member whereby said shearing edges are in spaced and parallel relation and extend generally in the same direction.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means for interlocking is formed in part by mating tapered walls of respective elongated members.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said first position is a scissors position and said second position is a knife position.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein one of said members has an elongated knife blade edge opposite to its shearing edge.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said interlocking means includes mating interlock edges of respective elongated members, wherein the other of said members has its shearing edge opposite to its interlock edge.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said interlocking means comprises a tongue and groove arrangement.

7. The combination of claim 5 wherein said interlocking means comprises an elongated channel along the interlocking edge of said one of said members, and an elongated ridge along the interlocking edge of said other members.

8. The combination of claim 1 wherein each said handle portion includes means defining finger grips.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein each said handle includes means for securing the handles together when in the second position.

10. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means for releasably interengaging includes a pivot pin.

1 l. The combination of claim 10 wherein said handle portions include pin accommodating means, said pin being removable from the first position and insertable in the accommodating means when the combination is 

1. In combination, a knife and scissors comprising: a pair of elongated members with each having a handle and a blade portion, each of said blade portions having an elongated shearing edge, and means for releasably interengaging said members in a mutually cooperating relation in a first position about a common articulating axis intermediate the ends of each member with said shearing edges generally facing in opposite directions and adapted to rotate toward and away from each other in a scissors action, each said members including means for interlocking said members in fixed relative relationship with one of said members being changed in position to a second position relative to the other member whereby said shearing edges are in spaced and parallel relation and extend generally in the same direction.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means for interlocking is formed in part by mating tapered walls of respective elongated members.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said first position is a scissors position and said second position is a knife position.
 4. The combination of claim 1 wherein one of said members has an elongated knife blade edge opposite to its shearing edge.
 5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said interlocking means includes mating interlock edges of respective elongated members, wherein the other of said members has its shearing edge opposite to its interlock edge.
 6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said interlocking means comprises a tongue and groove arrangement.
 7. The combination of claim 5 wherein said interlocking means comprises an elongated channel along the interlocking edge of said one of said members, and an elongated ridge along the interlocking edge of said other members.
 8. The combination of claim 1 wherein each said handle portion includes means defining finger grips.
 9. The combination of claim 8 wherein eAch said handle includes means for securing the handles together when in the second position.
 10. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means for releasably interengaging includes a pivot pin.
 11. The combination of claim 10 wherein said handle portions include pin accommodating means, said pin being removable from the first position and insertable in the accommodating means when the combination is in the second position. 